The instant invention relates to safety eyewear and more particularly to safety eyewear having lenses that can be removed quickly and easily.
Individuals need to wear safety glasses in many different fields of work. As a result, the eyewear industry has developed a variety of safety eyewear products, and there are many numerous types of safety glasses commercially available. The industry has designed safety eyewear for use in particular work applications and environments. For example, workers in metal-machining operations wear safety eyewear designed to protect their eyes from flying metal shards and other debris. In chemical industries, workers wear safety eyewear designed to protect them from chemical splashes and spills. Also, technicians, who operate lasers, wear safety eyewear designed to protect their eyes from exposure to light emitted from the laser. Because lasers can emit light at different wavelengths, a variety of lenses each specifically designed for filtering light at a particular wavelength may be required.
In recent years, there has been a tremendous growth in safety regulations requiring individuals to wear safety eyewear while participating in many different activities. Many of these safety eyewear products have dual-lenses attached to the frame. The dual-lenses act as shields protecting the eyes of a person wearing the eyewear. Now, customers of safety eyewear products have grown interested in eyeglasses having interchangeable lenses. In many instances, it is more cost-effective and convenient to purchase and store a variety of lenses than to purchase and store many different safety glasses. With safety eyewear having replaceable lenses, a person can remove and install a lens based on a particular job task or other reason. For example, a person can replace soiled and damaged lenses with new lenses. Also, a person can change the color and style of the lenses for fashion reasons.
Some eyewear products having interchangeable dual-lenses have been developed. For example, Watkins, U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,982 discloses safety glasses having a plastic frame with releasable dual-lenses. The frame is made preferably of a rigid, resinous material exhibiting plastic memory. The lens-receiving channels have V-shaped cross-sections with a variable depth. Each lens has a double-bevel periphery. The '982 patent describes a method for removing a lens, wherein a person grasps the frame and applies thumb pressure on the back of the lens at a point where the lens-receiving channel is at a reduced depth. This pressure disengages the lens from the lens-receiving channel and the lens is removed.
Tseng, U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,069 discloses eyeglasses having replaceable dual-lenses. The eyeglasses include a frame and two lens holes for receiving the lenses. The lenses have the same shapes as the lens holes including a wedge-shaped portion on one side and a nearly-round portion on the other side. The '069 patent describes a method for removing a lens, wherein a person pushes on the nearly-round fitting portion of the lens until it is separated from the lens hole.
Gioacchini, U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,777 discloses eyeglasses with interchangeable dual-lenses. The eyeglasses include a frame made of a plastic material. The frame includes elastically deformable rings having internal snap-fitting grooves for holding the lenses. The '777 patent describes the rings as being pressed into supports through elastic interference in such a way that the lenses are connected structurally to the frame, but the lenses can be removed through the action of the snap-fitting connection.
Glass et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,059 discloses eyewear having a frame with dual-lens openings. A lens is mounted in each lens opening by pushing the lens over a compressible bezel having a first barrier and second barrier. The first barrier is sufficiently high enough to prevent the lens from being pushed all the way through the frame. The second barrier is of sufficient height and resilience to allow the lens to be removed by forcing the lens back over the second barrier without damaging the frame.
Giacomuzzo, U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,623 discloses protective spectacles and sport goggles having interchangeable dual-lenses. The frame includes a pair of rims linked together by a nosepiece. The rims include grooves for receiving the lenses. The grooves are interrupted by a locking pip so that, upon bending the front piece of the frame slightly, a lens can be removed by articulation with the locking pip.
Although some conventional eyewear is made with interchangeable dual-lenses, it still can be difficult to remove and replace such lenses efficiently in some instances. A person may need special tools to remove such lenses. Also, a person may need to grasp the lenses repeatedly while attempting to remove them from the eyewear frame. This constant handling may lead to soiling or damaging of the lenses. Moreover, some eyewear frames may not hold the lenses securely in place during normal use.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved eyewear having interchangeable dual-lenses. The eyewear should have sufficient resiliency so that the lenses are held tightly within the frame during normal activities. At the same time, a person should be capable of flexing the frame to remove and replace the lenses quickly and easily. The present invention provides such improved eyewear. These and other objects, features, and advantages of this invention are evident from the following description and attached figures.